Within an hour, I got bored enough to realize I could walk around a bit hard to meet people. Part of it makes me tense, but part of it excites me. The obvious answer is to find Jesse and bug him during his work day. But also, there will be others around. So if he stonewalls me again, I go find other people. Probably I dunno, we'll see.
I begin my search for Jesse, but I am confronted by my Stepmom and the potential girlfriend of Jesse. My stepmom is a slightly chubby, older woman with a mix of red and white hair. That is six foot five or something tall. The girl is a similar shape to mine, but skinnier and similar to a gymnast to me based on her limbs' shape.
Stepmom is wearing a tie dye hoodie that is blue, red, and white. With blue jeans and blue flip flops. The Girlfriend? Is wearing a graphic blue sweater that shows off to Jesse's delight while I have mixed feelings, a Hearts of Iron 4 t-shirt. Which based on the Youtubers I've seen play this game, especially ISP or ISorrowProductions, I might need to be concerned. Again. About who gets kicked out first over politics, racism, or psychology. Me, this woman, or Jesse. Amongst like, literally anyone else who plays any map army game and memes too hard.
The art of her t-shirt is just a somewhat random map that is heavily influenced by a typical WW2 simulation ran in that game. Blazoned across the near top and center is the game's logo. And surrounding is typical American art of war like fiery explosions with soldiers shooting in front of it, a tank riding up a hill and firing a missile out, and surrounding the sides of it are airplanes and helicopters firing their guns with bright yellow streaks representing gunfire emanating from them and spreading out a bit from the whole image itself.
She also has on blue and white striped sweatpants, and blue crocs with socks.
I am wearing a white t-shirt with some cleavage showing, a black leather coat, half red half black pants, and white sneakers with black socks. And a gold necklace with a silver cross on it. With a ring on it that Jesse gave me in high school. It was just a ring from an arcade machine, some memorabilia from Teen Titans. It's a Raven ring with her little bauble thing as the jewel, that red circle with the black edge. It hangs on the chain beside the cross.
I smile and wave lazily, a wave of tension spreading ligjhtly as they smile back for a moment and chat.
"So this is Sierra, your future sister in law. Sierra, this is August Caeser. Julius's daughter, you remember Julius is my husban, you remember right?" Stepmom Cleo says warmly with a layer of tense malice.
I can see why she's annoyed with me. I dated her son before not-so-secretly. Didn't work out once I tried revealing it to them. At all. She hated I did it while they were married in the same house. Probably confirming this so I stop getting ideas.
Heh. Polyamory says they get wilder instead. Hehehehhe.
I smirk at my thoughts as I hold out a hand to shake Sierra's hand. She takes it and we shake lightly. A typical woman's handshake honestly, they never apply much pressure. Which is nice but weird to an extent. It could be toxic masculinity, but it could also be determining if you're strong enough to lift 50+ pounds subtly.
"Hi, nice to meet you. Are you willing to chat now? Or are you guys busy?" I ask warmly.
"We could maybe chat, we were about to go to the smoking lounge for a smoke break." Cleo says warmly. "By the way, Sierra doesn't smoke weed, so if you're coming, don't smoke that with us."
I groan slightly, hunching over, annoyed a bit. But shrug and smile through it.
"I'll at least stick around for a cigarette or two then. But not much longer if we aren't smoking weed." I say warmly.
"Thank you, my new step sister. I appreciate it, drug tests still matter ya know." Sierra says warmly.
"Yeah, we'll see about that. I doubt it when the apocalypse is on. Lemme grab my cigarettes." I say warmly.
We chuckle a bit as I enter my room which was close by. I hadn't gotten far from my room, just a nearby intersection. I come out wtih my menthol and black marlboros, and we talk together to the smoking lounge.
I've actually been given a few brief introductions to the barracks when we did some light training for these barracks as a fun vacation. Which wasn't fun for everyone else cause as always, they have friends. And argued about who gets to come live in the Barracks. While I, the loser sociopath, had no friends or girl/boyfriends to invite. So they had intense, emotional debates about who they could invite.
While I was bored, trying to date Jesse mainly. Which didn't work out to say the least. He argued too hard even though at the time, every time except the last one, he was single. I would console him as I would always do. Somewhat horribly, both for selfish reasons and cause I'm not good with emotions.
Selfish reasons were trying to seduce him during consolations. But otherwise, I think I did fine. I even gave massages which became illegal to him eventually. As per usual to anyone who wants to be loyal and isn't single.
Anyhoo, back to reality.
"So what do you guys plan on doing to pass the time? According to Fallout logic, we've got like, 25 years at least before we get to leave these Bunkers." I say with casual warmth.
And mischief in my heart as I watch the normies cringe. And wince at the apathy desert ahead of us as we are all stuck in these barracks. I love it for social potential and even the appeal of being sequestered together in one Nuclear Doomer Underground Barracks or whatever we call it. Being stuck together is almost illegally good for socializing, especially when I take advantage of leaving notes and pictures of myself around.
Which will socially blow up in my face of course, based on living here with relatives. But ah well, life will go on eventually.
"I dunno, that made me sad. I thought it was only gonna be a year. That's what Mom said." Sierra says, sad and mildly deadpanning.
"Mom? You're here with your mom?" I ask, curious.
"No, she's dead. Just my dad and twin sister." Sierra says quickly, still sad.
I smirk, illegally intrigued by the twin sister. She glares at me, sensing my lust.
"Don't fuck my-" Sierra hisses angrily.
She is interrupted by my Stepmom Cleo, who I remember halfway through this science rant is the Scientist dedicated to solving the nuclear radiation early. Her claim to fame here besides being the owner of this place is she is dedicated to getting rid of Nuclear Radiation as early as possible.
"Actually by my estimations, assuming things like radish production, grapes, wine, surprisingly a bit of THC and Delta-9, along with wind fans and windmills left around on the surface, we should hopefully be back out in five years tops. And that's based on only us doing work. Let alone if the other Vaults do their jobs." Cleo rants with happy analytical talk.
We both turn, intrigued happily about this news.
"I love that Cleo, thanks for letting me know." I say happily.
"No, I'm not finished. One sec, Mom." Sierra says tensely.
She spins around, facing me with a glare and angry finger pointing.
"I can already tell you're gonna try fucking everything that moves. Mom told me about you and Jesse already, let alone about your sex life at your workplaces, and how you flirt on the internet all day on roleplay servers. Quit it or I will figure out how to shrink your boobs and butt! And break your jaw!" Sierra threatens with an angry rant.
I sheepishly with mild nervousness pat her shoulder gently.
"I will be civil. Can we still smoke together, stepsis?" I ask nicely.
She smirks, amused and annoyed with me. Then flicks my forehead.
"My name is Sierra, not stepsis. Don't flirt with me. And yes, but don't flirt again. I will get you banned." Sierra says, annoyed.
"Yeah, you will at least be jailed if you keep being a whore. I'll make you stay in the medical wing if you cause trouble." Cleo threatens with good, albeit twisted humor and affection.
I sigh, annoyed and slightly ashamed.
"I promise I'll be goooooddd!" I drawl apologetically.
"Yeah yeah, whatever. Anyway, what are you doing Sierra? I know what August is doing, she's writing stories and roleplaying online when she isn't doing her job here. We haven't even got a job for you yet." Cleo says warmly.
Sierra tenses up with cute shame like a hot cat girl doing the innocent kitten face.
"I uh… am watching netflix and exercising… and checking on my kids with the other kids if they're around. I like that we have a daycare for the kids to hang out in. Even if they won't stay there all day. But since I don't have a job, it's fine. I can be a good stay at home mom if you don't give me a job." Sierra says sheepishly.
I smirk approvingly at her line of thought. Using the stay-at-home mom strategy is a good way to avoid a job. Especially since raising kids can be considered as tough as a real job, especially if a kid is a baby.
"We can consider it, but the daycare is good for getting kids used to people and not being around parents all day. Plus your youngest is 7, just deal with it and get a job here. I'm thinking you can work in the kitchen with August. She's a dishwasher, you could be a cook." Cleo says warmly.
We reach the Smoking Lounge, stepping through red double doors with circle windows rimmed with gold near the top of the door to peek through. We enter it, and get an curated indoor garden. It is a bit basic, but large. The floor is actually grass and dirt, which i love. This was the one debate I had about this place. I desperately wanted the Smoking Lounge to be a garden, and debated Jesse the most on it.
We barely got it, and it is still debated. Like, now. But before that, let me finish the description. There are long but thin rectangle vases holding lots of dirt and tall sunflowers. A few rose bushes spread about. And along the walls by the bay windows are bushes with flowers sticking out of them lining the bay windows' edges.
With outdoor couches and benches spread about. We have indoor couches by every window, and large family benches in the middle.
We sit at a bench with a few ash tray towers nearby. I actually got to design most of this room with a massive amount of suggestions to Cleo in texts and begging while we were here on vacation, training for actually living here. I won't pretend I paid for any of it though. Everything is either her money or her business partners' money on the bills.
Anyhoo-
"Yeah, I dunno about the job. I don't like the idea of a kitchen. I'm used to doing like, real work. Like factory or warehouse work. Even though sexist men at my job like Jacob Hemlock claims my meize work was for women only, and they were better than me for doing Hard Parts. Fucking douche." Sierra rants, annoyed.
Me and Cleo chuckle a bit at the mention of sexism. And surprisingly, Cleo asks the weird question:
"So what's your relationship with that Jacob Hemlock fellow? I heard he was controversial for hating the church, and arguing with your local Priest that worked there." Cleo asks, happy and intrigued.
I am also happily intrigued by the end of that sentence.
"We will not acknowledge that douche! He's my ex! Fuck him, I don't even like admitting that! He ruins everything when he gets mad about me or any woman talking too hard even! He gets mad at the Supervisors for talking to women too hard, but doesn't care when they talk to men. He's a sexist hypocrite!" Sierra rants angrily.
I chuckle again. What a baboon. Sounds like a White Knight meme gone wrong.